YouTube Launches Offline Viewing Feature In Iraq And Lebanon (Report)

YouTube is rolling out its offline viewing feature, which enables users in countries where internet access is slow and costly to download clips for later consumption.

In addition to existing in a dedicated app called YouTube Go, the offline viewing feature is now available within the standard YouTube app in Iraq and Lebanon, reports Android Police. It is unclear whether the latest rollout is Levant-only or available more widely across the Middle East. A full list of the countries where offline viewing is already available — including Egypt, Ghana, India, Jordan, Nigeria, the Philippines, South Africa, and Thailand — can be found right here. While most videos on YouTube can be downloaded for later viewing, it’s worth noting that music videos cannot.

For those who have received the new feature, a ‘download’ button appears next to the icons for ‘like’, ‘dislike’, and ‘share’. Tapping ‘download’ opens a new menu where users can choose from different video resolutions, per Android Police. Users can then follow download progress within the ‘activity’ tab, and videos can be consumed within the ‘library’.

Last December, Google brought the YouTube Go app out of beta in India. At the same time, it made the app — which offers offline viewing as well as other data-saving features — available in a slew of countries across Southeast Asia and Africa.